Derrick



NOV, 27,' i928. mgemeoi T. F. CAMPBELL DERRICK Filed June 28, 1926 3 sheets-sheet 2 r f NVENTOR.

of. JL. v

` Q2 v y n v ATTORNEY.

Nov. 27. w28. lggm? T. F. c/MvnBELL DERRICK Filed `lune 28, 1926 S Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 27, 192,8.

UNITED YSTflES PATENT OFFICE.;

THOMAS' E. CAMPBELL, OE DENVER, COLORADO, AssieNOR or SIXTY ONE-iiiiNDREDfrias To RICHARD s. SHANNON, OE DENVER, COLORADO. i

DERRICR l i Application led June 28, 1926 l Serial No, 119,005.

My invention relates to derrick structures of the type used in drilling and operating oil, gas and artesian wells and its primary object is to provide `a structure composed of two tower-units of dissimilar lengths one of which is removably mounted with relation-to the other.

Another object is to provide by means of the two tower units, two crown blocks, placed one above the other and having pulleys relato cooperate in the work of tively disposed drilling the well. Another Object of the invention resides in the provision of a simple and highly eilicient method of connecting the tower units so that they reenforce one another and so that the removable unit is readily dismantled and removed without disturbing ythe other, relatively stationaryunit. A. further object of the invention resides in the construction of the crown blocks and of the means for mounting the pulleys upon the same whereby the latter are readily moved relative to each other or changed in number by simple adjustments of the parts which respective tower-units. y

Still another object resides in providing means for taking up wear on the shafts on which the pulleys are supported, and'further objects are to be found in novelarrangements of parts and details of construction all of which contribute to the provision of a derrick structure in which simplicityl of construction is combined with strengt rability and with more than ordinaryeiiiciency and practicability in operation, as will fully appear'in the course of the following description.

In the accompanying like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 represents an elevationof a tower constructed in accordance with my-invention,

Figure 2 an enlarged horizontal section taken on theline 2-2 Figure 1, Y Figure 3, an enlarged fragmentary view of adjoining legs of the two tower units of the structure showing the method oftheir connections by clampelements of novel construction Figure 4, an enlarged horizontal section of the legs above one of the clamps,

Figure 5, a section along the line 5-5, Figure 4,

hold them in their operative positionon theand du- 4 drawings in j which Figure-6, a section similar to that of Fig ure 4, showing the clamp element -in the coiidition after the removable tower unit-has been detached from the p ermanent unit,

. Figure 7 an elevation of the two crownblocks of the derrick structure at the upper ends of the two tower-.units comprised therein, drawnito an enlarged scale and showing the relative arrangement of the pulleys on'the blocks,

Figure 8, van elevation of the crown'blocks, looking in the direction of the arrow -A in Figure 7, i

- Figure 9, a indicated bythe line 9 9 in Figure 7,

Figure 10, an enlarged section on the line 10-10 Figure 9,

horizontal section in the plane Figure 11, :a sectional detail of the vupper -i eiid of one of the legs-of the removabletower` unit, showing the method of supporting the.

crown'block thereon, i Figure .12, an enlargedsection on the line 12-12, Figure 1, showing thel construction .of the clamps employed for fastening together the sections of which the legs ofthe removable tower-unit are composed, and

Figure 18, a perspective view of the upper portion of the tower. Y

Referring further to the drawings the per; a

manent tower-unit .of the derrick structure is composed of four. slightly converginglegs 5- of tubular ormationww'hich are supported by base plates 6 on a suitablefoundation structure. The legs are fastened together by girths 7 and braces 8, and they support at their upper extremities a crown block eomposed of -I-beam sills 9, and cross beams 10 of similar form on'which the pulleys used in drilling the well, are mounted. A

The legs of the unit are l'each .composed of end-to-end abutting sections which are connected together by clamp-,elements hereinafter to be more fully described. l

The i'emovable'tower unit which is lower than the permanent unit is supported upon the foundation, within the latter 'and'it is composed of four legs 12 which extend parallel to and in spaced relation to the legs of the outer unit. The

tions connected by sleeve-clamps 13 shown in legs of the inner unit are 'i leach composed of end-tof'end abutting-secios detail in Figure 12, and they support at their upper ends a crownblock which like the Erst described'block, is composedof I-beain sills.

14 and'cross-beams 15 of similar form, upon winch are mounted a number of pulleys as will hereinafter be more fully described.

' The clamp-elements which connect the sections of the legs of the outer, permanent unit of the derrick structure, also function to fasten the legs of the inner removably unit and they are, with this end in view, composed fitted in the spaces between the corresponding legs ofthe two units, clamp-plates 19' engaging the legs` of the inner umts opposite to the saddles, U-bolts'20 w 'ch embrace the saddles and pass through o nings in the clamp-plates, and nuts 21screwed upon the ends of the bolts in engagement with the plates 19.

tower-unit are fiattened attheir extremities,

andthe atten'ed portions are inscrtedin aces `between the spacing-blocks 18 of the e amp-elements and the flanges 22 of the corresponding saddle members 16 of the same.

- Machine bolts 23 in alined holes of the flanges, the endsof the braces and the blocks secure these parts in rigid connection with each other.

It will thus be observed that the clamp-elements perform the' three-fold function of connecting the leg-sections of the outer tower-unit, of fastening the legs of the inner toWer-unit,vand-of securing the braces and girths of the permanent structure.'

' The sill-members 14 of the crown block on the inner, lower tower-unit are supported on caps'24 inserted in the ends of the tubular legs of the uniti. The sills 14 which extend in allnement with the pairs of slanting legs `on whichthey are supported, converge accord- =ingly andthey support the horizontal cross beams'l of the crown block upon which the pulleys are mounted.

In order to provide a rigid support for the horizontal -crossbeams, wedge-shaped plates 25 'are fastened upon the slanting sill beams as best. shown in Figures 7 and 11. The

` beams J14 and `15 are-rigidly fastened by machine bolts 26, and the rigidity of the structure is further increased by the rods 27 which connect the sill beams at opposite ends thereof. -l

The legs of the permanent tower unit,

projecting bevond the crown block on the removable unit, are fastened to the beams 14 of said crown block by clamp-saddles 28 and their upper ends are provided with caps 29 similar to those shown in Figure 11, for the support of the sill-beams 9 of the upper .crown-block. l

The construction of the upper crown block is similar to that/of the lower crown block hereinbefore described, the cross beams 10 being fastened upon the beams 9 by bolts il() and the spaces between the upper and lower beams being occupied by wedge-shaped fillers 31. The upper crown .block supports vtwo -grooved pulleys 32 and 33 mounted for rotation on shafts 34. The shafts are fastened on the cross beams 10 by horse-shoe clamps 35 which engage below the. upper vflanges of the beams 10.

'lhc ends of the shafts have sockets or cavit-ies 36 at quadrant points and the clamps 35 are provided with bolts 37 adapted to enter v the cavities which are uppermost.

The pulleys are mounted to rotate, on their respective shafts between collars 38 which separate them from the vbeams 10 and which are held against rotation by shoulders 39 which engage the upper flanges of the beams. `The position of the pulleys on the sha1' ts mar be varied by the use of collars of diff The braces and girths of the permanent The twocross beams of the upper crown block are separated b spreaders '40 and they are rigidly fastened together by bolts 41 extelding' through alined holes adjacent their en s.

The lower crownbloclr of the inner removi able. tower-unit has a plurality of cross beams 15 supported on the two sill-beams 14. The outer cross beams are fastened upon the beams 1 4 by bolts 26 and the other cross beams placed between the outer beams, are mounted for adjustment to different distances apart.

The various cross beams are separated from each other by spreaders 43 in the form of angle plates, which arevpivoted between the flanges of the beams as at 44, andengage with the webs of the next adjoining beams. 'Bolts 45 passing through alined apertures of the beams at opposite Aends thereof, cooperate with the spreaders to hold the beams in their adjusted positions.

It will be apparent that by the use v'of spreaders of different length, the cross beams maycbe placed apartnat any desired distance, it being understood that aftethe bolts' have been loosened andthe spreaders have been turned about their .pivotseor removed, the beams 15 between the outer beams which are bolted to the sill beamamay be slid along the bolts in either direction.

Two shafts 46 are mounted on the cross Y beams byv horseshoe clamps 47 engaging the fianges of' the' outer beams 15 as in the upper 4 crown block hereinbefore described, and the shafts are alsovadjustable b v partial rotation4 provided with shoulders 50 which by engagement with the beams, hold them againstrotation.

4It will be readily apparent that by thc use oit' collars and spreaders of different widths and by adjustment of the cross beams, the

pulleys may be adjusted on the shafts to dif-v blocks cooperate in drilling a well centrally of thcderrick structure. The pulley 32 of the upper crown-block is the spudding pulley that supports the cable of the drilling tool and the other pulley 33 is the sand pulley that supports the cable used in hailing the excavation.

One of the pulleys on the lower crown block guides the cable of the spudding pulley Ato alinement with the center of the well in the axis of the derrick-structure and the other 'pulleys serve for the support of cables used in the movement of casing-sections and machine parts employed in the formation of the well.

By the cooperative arrangement of the pulleys on the two crown blocks as hereinabove described, aV tower of the desired height can be erected without the extreme width or breadth of top required in tower structures `in which all thepulleys are assembled on one and the same crown block.

The two frames reenforce one another and conjointly provide a structure ofexceptional strength and durability and when the drilling operation is completed and the dei-rick is employed for pumping only, the inner tower unit is readily removed from the outer permanent unit, for use at another location. The removal o the inner tower is easily accomplished by unfastening the clamps which connect the sill beams 14 to the legs 5 of the permanent structure, dismantling the crownblock of which the beams area part, and thenl removing the legs 12 in sections by detaching the U-bolts 2O from the clamps which secure the sections of the legs 5 of the `permanent structure. A

The saddle-members 16 and the block 18 of the clamp-elements are not disturbed but remain in place as shown in Figure 6 to hold the sections of the legs of the permanent strueture i'n alinement and to secure the girths and braces by which the legs are connected.

It is to be observed that the clamps as applied to the permanent structure are free from nuts which are liable to loosen by vibration.

Vhile I do not desire to be limited to any size or shape of the material used in constructing the derricli, I prefer to lmalte the innerremovable tower unit of larger tubular metal than the outer unit, it having beenfound that for standard work, the proportions of three inches in diameter for the outer frame and four inches for the inner frame, will give the desired strength and stability. Different proportions may however be used according to the height of the structure and the nature of the work' on which it is to be employed and other variations relating to details oi:l construction "and the arrangement of parts may be resorted to within thespirit of the invention as defined in the hereunto appended claims.

It is a distinctive feature of the invention that by the provision of a guiding pulley on the lower crown block the cable of the drilling tool is suspended to extend vertically in the axis oi the derrick to produce the well- `bore in the center of the derrick floor without strain or undue fric-tion. What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l l. A derrick comprising a permanent tower unit, and an auxiliary tower unit, placed one within the other and each including a crown block and supporting. legs, clamps connecting the legs of the auxiliary units to the legs of the permanent unit, and clamps connecting the crown block of the auxiliary unit to the legs of the permanent unit.

2. A derriek comprising permanent and auxiliary tower units placed one within the other, each having supporting legs, a crown block on each unit cooperating for the support of a cable in the operation of the well, and clamps connecting the crown block of one unit with the supporting legs of the other unit.

8. In a derrickstructure having auxiliary and permanent units, each having legs, the legs of the permanent unit being composed ot end-to-end abutting sections and spaced from the legs of the auxiliary unit., a clamping means comprising two connected parts adapted to conjointly embrace adjoining leg sections ofthe permanent unit, one of said parts being adapted to engage the corresponding leg of the auxiliary unit in the space between the legs, a clamp member disposed to engage the opposite side of the leg of the auxiliary unit, and a U-holt embracing said parts, in

getachable connection with the clamp mem- 4. In a derrick structure having auxiliary and permanent tower units, one Within the other, the permanentunit of which has legs composed of end-to-end abutting sections, and braces between the legs, the auxiliary unit of which also has legs, a derrick clamp comprising two parts adapted to embrace adjoining leg sections of' the permanent unit and spaced from each other to admit the braces of the unit, bolts connecting the parts and.- for holdingthe braces, and a detachable member cooperating with one of the parts to clampingly secure a corresponding leg of the auxiliary unit.

5. In a derriek, a permanent tower finit. having legs composed 'of enrl-to-end ahntting 'sections andbraces between the'legs, an auxilliary unit. having legs spaced from those of the 5 permanent nnit, a `derrick clamp comprising two parts adapted to embrace adjoining leg "sections of the permanent unit` and .spaced fromeach other to admit braces of the same,

' one of saidV parts being adapted t o engage the 10 corresponding leg of the anxihary unit in the space between the legs, bolts connecting the parts to hohl the bracesa' clamp member adapted to engage the leg of the auxiliary unit, and a .U-h'olt. embracing the parts, in detachable connection with the clam-p memher.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature.

THOMAS'R CAMPBELL., 

